Trailer hitch

ABSTRACT

A trailer hitch includes a cross-vehicle beam and a receiver welded to the cross-vehicle beam. The cross-vehicle beam extends from a first end to a second end. The cross-vehicle beam includes a middle section, a first round section, and a second round section. The middle section includes a flat. The first round section is integral with the middle section and extends from the middle section to the first end. The second round section is integral with the middle section and extends from the middle section to the second end. The receiver is welded directly to the flat.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The subject patent application claims priority to and all the benefitsof U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/107,275 filed on Jan. 23,2015, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

A trailer hitch is attached to a frame of a vehicle to provide towingcapability. The trailer hitch may be assembled to the frame of thevehicle during production of the vehicle, or may be installed to thevehicle as an after-market product.

The trailer hitch includes a cross-vehicle beam that is fixed to theframe of the vehicle, and a receiver fixed to the cross-vehicle beam.The receiver may receive a ball mount that engages a trailer forcoupling the trailer to the vehicle to tow the trailer with the vehicle.

Several design constraints in the design of trailer hitches increasesthe manufacturing complexity and cost of trailer hitches. Specifically,the design of the vehicle may cause packaging constraints that requirethe cross-vehicle beam to be bent to avoid interference with othercomponents of the vehicle, e.g., fascias, liftgates, underbodycomponents, etc., when the trailer hitch is mounted to the vehicleframe. These bends must be designed so as to not reduce the strength ofthe cross-vehicle beam during towing and may increase the costassociated with manufacturing the trailer hitch.

As such there remains an opportunity to develop a trailer hitch thataccommodates these manufacturing, packaging, and cost constraints.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a bottom perspective view of a vehicle including a trailerhitch engaged with a frame of the vehicle.

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the trailer hitch.

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the trailer hitch.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the trailer hitch.

FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view of the trailer hitch including areceiver mounted to a middle section of a cross-vehicle beam.

FIG. 6 is another bottom perspective view of the trailer hitch.

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the receiver and the middle section of thecross-vehicle beam showing a flat on the middle section.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the trailer hitch.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to the Figures, wherein like numerals indicate like partsthroughout the several views, a trailer hitch 10 is generally shown. Thetrailer hitch 10 includes a cross-vehicle beam 12 extending from a firstend 70 to a second end 72. The cross-vehicle beam 12 includes a middlesection 34, a first round section 74, and a second round section 76. Thefirst round section 74 is integral with the middle section 34 andextends from the middle section 34 to the first end 70. The second roundsection 76 is integral with the middle section 34 and extends from themiddle section 34 to the second end 72. The middle section 34 includes aflat 36 and a receiver 14 welded directly to the flat 36.

With reference to FIG. 2, the cross-vehicle beam 12 is mounted to avehicle 78, e.g., a frame 80 of the vehicle 78, as discussed furtherbelow. The receiver 14 is configured to receive a ball mount (notshown). The ball mount supports a ball that engages a trailer forcoupling the trailer to the vehicle 78 to tow the trailer with thevehicle 78.

As best shown in FIGS. 5 and 8, a weld 20 extends directly between theflat 36 and the receiver 14, e.g., the top surface 38. As set forthabove, the receiver 14 is welded directly to the flat 36, e.g., the topsurface 38 of the receiver 14 is welded directly to the flat 36. Inother words, the weld 20 extends directly from the receiver 14, e.g.,the flat surface 38, to the flat 36. As shown in the Figures, thecross-vehicle beam 12 includes a bottom 16 and the flat 36 is defined onthe bottom 16. The receiver 14 is welded directly to the bottom 16 ofthe cross-vehicle beam 12 at the flat 36. The weld 20 may extenddirectly between the bottom 16 of the cross-vehicle beam 12 and thereceiver 14. It should be appreciated that multiple welds 20 may extenddirectly between the receiver 14 and the flat 36 at any location alongthe interface between the receiver 14 and the flat 36.

The weld 20 directly between the receiver 14 and the bottom 16 of thecross-vehicle beam 12 provides a direct interface between thecross-vehicle beam 12 and the receiver 14. This accomplishes improvedloading conditions and an efficient load path from the receiver 14 tothe cross-vehicle beam 12 and to the frame 80 of the vehicle 78.Specifically, the direct weld 20 between the receiver 14 and the bottom16 of the cross-vehicle beam 12 results in tow loads being directlycarried between the receiver 14 and the cross-vehicle beam 12. Thedirect weld 20 between the receiver 14 and the bottom 16 of thecross-vehicle beam 12 also reduces the complexity and weight of thehitch 10 by reducing intermediate brackets extending from the receiver14 to the cross-vehicle beam 12.

As shown in the Figures, the cross-vehicle beam 12 has a roundcross-section. In particular, the cross-vehicle beam 12 may have acircular cross-section, as shown in the Figures, i.e., may be a tube.The circular cross-section encourages uniform multi-axial loading of thecross-vehicle beam 12 during towing. Also, the circular cross-section ofthe cross-vehicle beam 12 is easily bent by manufacturing processes, andthus the circular-cross section reduces complexity in manufacturing.

With reference to FIGS. 1-4, the first round section 74 and the secondround section 76 may each include end sections 30 for connection to theframe 80 of the vehicle 78, i.e., supporting the first end 70 and thesecond end 72, respectively, and intermediate sections 32 extendingtransversely relative to the end sections 30 to the middle section 34.The middle section 34 may extend from one of the intermediate sections32 to the other of the intermediate sections 32. The first round section74 and the second round section 76 may be mirror images of each otherabout the middle section 34. The intermediate sections 32 may extenddownwardly and/or rearwardly relative to the vehicle 10. The middlesection 34 and the end sections 30 may be linear and may extend alongparallel axes. The end sections 30 may extend along an axis A.Specifically, the cross-vehicle beam 12 extends along an axis A from thefirst end 70 to the second end 72.

The cross-vehicle beam 12 may include bends 28 that position the middlesection 34 downward and/or vehicle-rearward relative to the first end 70and the second end 72 when mounted to the frame 80 of the vehicle 78,i.e., downward and/or vehicle-rearward relative to the axis A.Specifically, the cross-vehicle beam 12 may include at least one bend 28between the first round section 74 and the middle section 34, and thecross-vehicle beam 12 may include at least one bend 28 between thesecond round section 76 and the middle section 34. For example, as shownin the Figures, the cross-vehicle beam 12 includes two bends 28 betweenthe first round section 74 and the middle section 34, i.e., one bend 28extending from the middle section 34 to the intermediate section 32 ofthe first round section 74 and one bend 28 between the intermediatesection 32 and the end section 30 of the first round section 74.Similarly, for example, as shown in the Figures, the cross-vehicle beam12 includes two bends 28 between the second round section 76 and themiddle section 34, i.e., one bend 28 extending from the middle section34 to the intermediate section 32 of the second round section 76 and onebend 28 between the intermediate section 32 and the end section 30 ofthe first round section 76.

The bends 28 may be multi-axial. For example, as shown in the Figures,the bends 28 may extend upwardly relative to the frame 80 from themiddle section 34 to the first round section 74, and from the middlesection 34 to the second round section 76, i.e., the middle section 34may be lower than the first round section 74 and the second roundsection 76 when mounted to the frame 80. As another example, in additionto, or in the alternative to the upward extension of the bends 28 frommiddle section 34 to the first round section 74 and the second roundsection 76, the bends 28 may extend inwardly relative to the vehicleframe 80 from the middle section 34 to the first round section 74, andfrom the middle section 34 to the second round section 76, i.e., themiddle section 34 may be disposed in a vehicle-rearward directionrelative to the first round section 74 and the second round section 76.

The bends 28, e.g., the multi-axial bends, may allow for packaging thehitch 10 within packaging constraints of the vehicle design andefficient connection between the frame 80 of the vehicle 78. Forexample, the multi-axial bends 28 allow the cross-vehicle beam 12 to befit between structural components of the vehicle and without interferingwith components that have class-A outer surfaces, e.g., fascias andliftgates.

As set forth above, the first round section 74 is integral with themiddle section 34, and the second round section 76 is integral with themiddle section 34. In other words, the first round section 74, themiddle section 34, and the second round section 76 are formedsimultaneously as a single continuous unit. In this configuration, thecross-vehicle beam 12 is formed as a single continuous unit from thefirst end 70 to the second end 72. Alternatively, the first roundsection 74 and/or the second round section 76 may be formed separatelyfrom the middle section 34 and subsequently attached to the middlesection 34.

With reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, the flat 36 may be defined on thebottom 16 of the cross-vehicle beam 12. The bottom 16 may face theground when the hitch 10 is installed to the frame 80 of the vehicle 78.The flat 36 may be positioned on the bottom 16 of the cross-vehicle beam12 to be parallel to the ground below the vehicle 78 when the hitch 10is installed to the frame 80 of the vehicle 78. The flat 36 facilitatesdirect welding of the receiver 14 to the bottom 16 of the cross-vehiclebeam 12.

The receiver 14 presents a top surface 38 that abuts the flat 36 on thecross-vehicle beam 12. In other words, top surface 38 contacts the flat36 on the cross-vehicle beam 12. The top surface 38 may be flat to matchthe flat 36 on the cross-vehicle beam 12. The receiver 14 is welded tothe cross-vehicle beam 12 to fix the receiver 14 in position with thetop surface 38 abutting the flat 36. For example, one or more welds,e.g., weld 20, may extend between the receiver 14 and the cross-vehiclebeam 12 along the top surface 38 and the flat 36. The welds may, forexample, extend from the top surface 38 and/or a side surface 40 of thereceiver 14 to the flat 36 and/or to a round portion (not numbered) ofthe cross-vehicle beam 12 adjacent the flat 36. As set forth above, thisdirect weld 20 between the receiver 14 and the bottom 16 of thecross-vehicle beam 12 accomplishes improved loading conditions, anefficient load path, and reduction in the complexity and weight of thehitch 10.

The receiver 14 defines a channel 42 configured to receive the ballmount. The channel 42 may be rectangular in cross-section. The channel42 may extend through the receiver 14. The receiver 14 may define holes44 extending through the receiver 14 and through the channel 42 forreceiving a pin (not shown) to connect the ball mount to the receiver14.

The trailer hitch may include braces 22, 24 and/or reinforcements 26.The braces 22, 24 and reinforcements 26 may be welded to thecross-vehicle beam 12, e.g., the middle section 34, and to the receiver14. The braces 22, 24 and/or reinforcements 26 reinforce the welds 20that extend directly from the cross-vehicle beam 12 to the receiver 14.The hitch 10, specifically, may include a rear brace 22, a front brace24, and two reinforcements 26. However, it should be appreciated thatthe hitch 10 may include no braces or reinforcements, or may include anysuitable number of braces or reinforcements. It should be appreciatedthat the adjectives, “first,” “second,” etc. to describe the braces 22,24 and/or reinforcements 26 are used herein merely as identifiers andnot to signal order or importance.

With reference to FIG. 2, the rear brace 22 may be welded to the topsurface 38 and to the middle section 34. The rear brace 22 may curvealong a circular shape of the middle section 34 and may include a tab50, also referred to as a thin portion 50, welded to the top surface 38.Specifically, the rear brace 22 may include a wide portion 48 extendingalong and abutting the middle section 34 of the cross-vehicle beam 12,and tab 50 extending transversely to the wide portion 48 and abuttingthe top surface 38 of the receiver 14. The wide portion 48 of the rearbrace 22 may be welded to the middle section 34 of the cross-vehiclebeam 12 and the tab 50 may be welded to the top surface 38 of thereceiver 14.

With reference to FIG. 3, the front brace 24, also referred to as thesecond brace 24, may be welded to the middle section 34. The front brace24 may include hole 82 receiving the receiver 14. The receiver 14 may bewelded to the front brace 24 about the hole 82. The front brace 24 mayinclude a wide portion 52 extending along and abutting the middlesection 34 of the cross-vehicle beam 12 and a flange 54 extending alonga front surface 56 of the receiver 14. The wide portion 52 of the frontbrace 24 may be welded to the middle section 34 of the cross-vehiclebeam 12 and the flange 54 may be welded to the front surface 56, theside surfaces 40, the top surface 38, and/or a bottom 66 of the receiver14.

The rear brace 22 and the front brace 24 extend along opposite sides ofthe middle section 34, e.g., a front side and a rear side. In otherwords, the middle section 34 is sandwiched between the rear brace 22 andthe front brace 24. The receiver 14 extends along the middle section 34,e.g., below the middle section 34, from the front brace 22 to the rearbrace 24.

With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, the side surfaces 40 of the receiver 14extend from the top surface 38 to a bottom 66 of the receiver 14. Thereinforcements 26 are welded to the middle section 34 and to the sidesurface 40. The reinforcements 26 may be welded to the bottom 16 of thecross-vehicle beam 12, e.g., to the flat 36.

The reinforcements 26 may abut the side surfaces 40 of the receiver 14and the bottom 16 of the cross-vehicle beam 12. Alternatively, or inaddition, the reinforcements 26 may abut the flange 54 of the frontbrace 24. The reinforcements 26 may be welded to the side surfaces 40 ofthe receiver 14, the bottom of the cross-vehicle beam 12, and/or theflange 54 of the front brace 24.

The hitch 10 may include a chain plate 58 for attaching chains to thehitch 10. The chains may be connected to the trailer to couple thetrailer to the vehicle in the event that the tongue of the trailerbecomes disengaged with the hitch 10, e.g., upon ball failure, ballplate failure, pin failure, etc.

The chain plate 58 may include a base 60 and two sides 62. The sides 62may define holes for engaging chains. The sides 62 may extend downwardlyfrom the base 60 when the hitch 10 is mounted to the vehicle.

The base 60 abuts the bottom 16 of the receiver 14 and may be welded tothe bottom 16. Such a configuration provides adequate hand access forboth installing the pin 46 as well as chain attachment. Space formounting the base 60 to the bottom 16 of the receiver 14 is madepossible by the absence of additional brackets that eliminated bywelding the receiver 14 directly to the bottom surface of thecross-vehicle beam 12.

The hitch 10 may include a wiring bracket 64 for supporting wiringand/or electronic components of the vehicle for connection to thetrailer to power and/or control lights on the trailer. The wiringbracket 64 may be welded to the cross-vehicle beam 12 and/or thereceiver 14.

The hitch 10 may include mounting brackets 68 for mounting the hitch 10to the vehicle. The brackets 68 extend transverse to the axis A andengaging the frame 80. The mounting brackets 68 may be fixed to the endsections 30 of the cross-vehicle beam 12. Specifically, one of themounting brackets 68 is disposed at the first end 70 and the othermounting bracket 68 is disposed at the second end 72. The mountingbrackets 68 may be welded to the end sections 30.

The brackets 68 are configured to engage the frame 80 of a vehicle 78.The frame 80 includes two open ends 84 spaced from each other, andbrackets 68 are engaged with the frame 80 in the open ends 84. Thebrackets 68 may be fastened and/or welded to the frame 80 in the openends 84.

The cross-vehicle beam 12, the receiver 14, the brackets 22, 24, 26, thechain plate 58, and/or the mounting brackets 68 may be formed of metal,such as steel. The cross-vehicle beam 12, the receiver 14, the braces22, 24, the reinforcements 26, the chain plate 58, and/or the mountingbrackets 68 may be formed of the same type of material or may be formedof different types of material.

The disclosure has been described in an illustrative manner, and it isto be understood that the terminology which has been used is intended tobe in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. Manymodifications and variations of the present disclosure are possible inlight of the above teachings, and the disclosure may be practicedotherwise than as specifically described.

1. A trailer hitch comprising: a cross-vehicle beam extending from afirst end to a second end; the cross-vehicle beam including a middlesection, a first round section integral with the middle section andextending from the middle section to the first end, and a second roundsection integral with the middle section and extending from the middlesection to the second end; wherein, in cross-section, the middle sectionincludes a flat extending from a forward end to a rearward end, and acurved portion curving from the forward end to the rearward end; theflat having a midpoint between the forward end and the rearward end andan center line extending through the midpoint perpendicular to the flat,the curved portion being symmetrical about the center line; and areceiver welded directly to the flat.
 2. The trailer hitch as set forthin claim 1 wherein the receiver includes a flat top surface abutting theflat.
 3. The trailer hitch as set forth in claim 2 wherein the flat topsurface is welded to the flat.
 4. The trailer hitch as set forth inclaim 1 wherein the receiver includes a flat top surface.
 5. The trailerhitch as set forth in claim 4 wherein the flat top surface is welded tothe flat.
 6. The trailer hitch as set forth in claim 1 furthercomprising a front brace abutting and welded to the curved portion ofthe middle section the front brace including a hole receiving thereceiver, the receiver being welded to the front brace about the hole.7. The trailer hitch as set forth in claim 21 wherein the receiverincludes a side surface extending from the flat top surface, and furthercomprising a reinforcement abutting and welded to the middle section andto the side surface.
 8. (canceled)
 9. The trailer hitch as set forth inclaim 1 wherein the receiver includes a side surface extending from theflat top surface, and further comprising a reinforcement welded to themiddle section and to the side surface.
 10. The trailer hitch as setforth in claim 1 wherein the cross-vehicle beam includes a bend betweenthe first round section and the middle section, and wherein thecross-vehicle beam includes a bend between the second round section andthe middle section.
 11. The trailer hitch as set forth in claim 1further comprising a bracket at the first end and at the second end, thebrackets being configured to engage a frame of a vehicle.
 12. A towingassembly comprising: a vehicle frame; a trailer hitch including across-vehicle beam extending from a first end to a second end and fixedto the vehicle frame; the cross-vehicle beam including a middle section,a first round section extending from the middle section to the firstend, and a second round section extending from the middle section to thesecond end; wherein the cross-vehicle beam includes bends extendingupwardly and inwardly relative to the vehicle frame from the middlesection to the first round section and from the middle section to thesecond round section; wherein, in cross-section, the middle sectionincludes a flat extending from a forward end to a rearward end, and acurved portion curving from the forward end to the rearward end; theflat having a midpoint between the forward end and the rearward end andan center line extending through the midpoint perpendicular to the flat,the curved portion being symmetrical about the center line; and areceiver welded directly to the flat.
 13. The towing assembly as setforth in claim 12 wherein the first round section and the second roundsection are integral with the middle section.
 14. The towing assembly asset forth in claim 12 wherein the vehicle frame includes two open endsspaced from each other, and the trailer hitch includes brackets engagedwith the vehicle frame in the open ends.
 15. The towing assembly as setforth in claim 14 wherein the brackets are disposed at the first andsecond ends of the cross-vehicle beam.
 16. (canceled)
 17. The towingassembly as set forth in claim 16, wherein the first round section andthe second round section extend along an axis, and further comprisingbrackets extending transverse to the axis and engaging the vehicleframe.
 18. The trailer hitch as set forth in claim 12 wherein thereceiver includes a flat top surface, and further comprising a rearbrace including a tab abutting and welded to the flat top surface and awide portion extending from the tab, the wide portion abutting andwelded to the circular arc of the middle section.
 19. The trailer hitchas set forth in claim 18 further comprising a front brace spaced fromthe rear brace, the front brace abutting and welded to the curvedportion of the middle section, the front brace including a holereceiving the receiver, the receiver being welded to the front braceabout the hole.
 20. The trailer hitch as set forth in claim 19 whereinthe receiver includes a side surface extending from the flat topsurface, and further comprising a reinforcement welded to the middlesection and to the side surface.
 21. The trailer hitch as set forth inclaim 6, wherein the receiver includes a flat top surface, and furthercomprising a rear brace spaced from the front brace, the rear braceincluding a tab welded to the flat top surface and a wide portionextending from the tab, the wide portion abutting and welded to thecircular arc of the middle portion.
 22. The trailer hitch as set forthin claim 1 wherein the curved portion curves continuously from theforward end to the rearward end.